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Green Economic Development

September 02, 2009

This morning on the way to work and listening to PBS, I learned of a new website that allows visitors to input their assumptions about the likelihood of various future energy policies being implemented and then calculates the resulting effect on the Gross Domestic Product and economic growth in the US. This neat little trick is the product of a "meta-analysis" synthesizing the 27 leading economic models by Robert Repetto of Yale University who writes that the synthesis "... reveals what the crucial assumptions are and how changing those assumptions affects the predicted economic costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by specific percentages below the business-as-usual path by 2030. Surprisingly, only a handful of key assumptions account for most of the differences among model predictions of the economic costs of reducing emissions."

The brochure for the conference concisely outlines the value proposition of a healthy "green infrastructure":

Protecting the integrity of our Green Infrastructure helps us sustain natural resources and the picturesque and vibrant quality of life we enjoy in West Michigan. It also attracts and retains businesses and bolsters our economy.

West Michigan has done a remarkable job aligning various regional interests around the concept of a "green infrastructure". You can learn more on how they built this consensus by looking at this page.

Maps are one of the powerful tools they have used. You can download a copy of their green infrastructure map here.

The Council on Competitiveness will also be integrating some of the lessons from West Michigan in their work on regional leadership. That report (to the Economic Development Administration) is due out later this year.

July 22, 2008

As the debate on global warming continues, twelve states are actively educating companies and the public on the need for investments in good "green" jobs. What they have found is that there are job opportunities for the green economy. They also provide provide a state-by-state picture of occupations that gain from "green investments". Here are some of the observations they make about Indiana:

Solving global warming will require all kinds of workers with a wide range of skills. Tens of thousandsof Hoosiers have good-paying job skills that are representative of a broad range of skills needed to build clean energy solutions:

Carpenters will be needed to make buildings more energy efficient. There are nearly 24,000 carpenters in Indiana, paid an average of nearly $18 per hour.

Electricians are essential to expanding mass transit solutions. There are 15,000 electricians in Indiana, paid an average of nearly $24 per hour.

Operations Managers are needed to manufacture of energy-efficient automobiles. There are nearly 25,000 operations managers in Indiana, paid an average of nearly $42 per hour.

Machinists craft essential components for wind power. There are nearly 15,000 machinists in Indiana, paid an average of over $17 per hour.

Welders are vital to solar power manufacturing. There are over 12,000 welders in Indiana, paid an average of over $15 per hour.

Industrial Truck Drivers transport supplies and fuels for the cellulosic biofuels sector. There are nearly 22,000 industrial truck drivers in Indiana, paid an average of over $14 per hour.

Further information on the “Green Jobs for America” campaign can be found at here.